Portland Timbers Miss Match, San Jose Earthquakes Awarded 3-0 Win

The Portland Timbers did technically show up for Saturday night’s 3-0 demolition at the hands of the San Jose Earthquakes, but it sure didn’t feel like it as the visiting side were behind the ball from the opening whistle.

The Timbers started the match off with a scare in the early moments as a long ball bounced over Jeff Attinella with Chris Wondolowski lurking. Attinella was quick to recover, however, and smothered the ball before disaster could strike.

That recovery would not last, however, as the ‘Quakes took advantage of a series of unfortunate events to open the scoring in the 8th minute. After a trio of San Jose shots were deflected, saved, and generally bounced around the box, the ball finally fell to the feel of Jahmyr Hyka just feet from an open net. With the defenders spinning around him, Hyka simply had to knock the ball home to open the scoring.

Now down a goal and without Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri in the midfield, the Timbers struggled to break down the San Jose back line, looking to play through Adi and Blanco far down the pitch. The gambit almost worked when Fanendo Adi was taken down on the edge of the San Jose box. With the call able to go either way, referee Nima Saghafi pointed outside the box and the ensuing free kick from David Guzman flashed just wide of the post.

San Jose would extend their lead in the 31st minute when Florian Jungwirth picked out Chris Wondolowski at the top of the Timbers’ box. With Lawrence Olum and Diego Chara collapsing on him, the Quakes captain coolly sent a rolling shot toward the back post, skimming just past the fingertips of Attinella and picking out the side netting to make the score 2-0.

Things got even worse in the second half as the Timbers went down 3-0 in the 55th minute. It was Jungwirth creating the opportunity once again, slipping a smooth through ball in behind the Timbers’ back line to find the run of Wondolowski who was onside by a matter of inches. With no defenders around him, Wondolowski found himself with a tight angle and Attinella charging him down, but the San Jose captain kept his cool and sent a simple shot around the Timbers’ keeper for the goal.

Now firmly out of contention in the match, the Timbers threw men forward looking to avoid complete embarrassment, but it was not to be. They came close in the 79th minute when the hard working Diego Chara won the ball deep in the San Jose half then played youngster Victor Arboleda in on goal. Arboleda smacked his shot from close in at a tight angle, but Quakes keeper David Bingham was able to block the strong ball away with a timely reaction save.

Bingham would notch another point-blank save in the 82nd minute as Arboleda played Sebastian Blanco in for a tight-angle shot of his own. Where Arboleda went with power, Blanco went with placement, but again Bingham got to the ball, this time knocking the shot wide with a well-placed leg.

The Timbers return home for their next match, hosting expansion side Atlanta United on Sunday, May 14th.